To think sunny holidays are actually incredibly dangerous

[Monikaems]

People go to the Mediterranean or other warm destination soley with the purpose of baking themselves in sun, often times this is done without sunprotection but even with sunprotection it can still be dangerous. The UV exposure from just two weeks in the sun can be months and months of what someone would get in the UK.

AIBU to think we should be better educated about the risks of sun exposure. It breaks my heart seeing little kids burnt.

Melanoma rates are increasing every year, we place warnings on sunbeds but not on sunny holidays. It seems absolutely bizzare that there is no warning on sun loungers about the risks of exposure.

AIBU

I lived in Italy for years and never saw a sunburned Italian. But there was always a rash of scantily clad, lobster coloured Brits and Germans

I've spent a lot of time in Italy and I haven't ever seen a lobster red Italian but I've seen a lot of Italians who have essentially turned themselves into leather. I wouldn't say they were models of healthy attitudes to sun protection

@nicecuppaforme I’m not sure, it’s boots soltan. I might buy a different kind here and try it. I think what has happened is on the first day she had 3/4 length vest on and suncream and was in the pool. The sun cream might have washed off and by the time I next applied it she’s been burnt.

On the second day I took more precautions and topped her suncream up more regularly so there was no way she could burn again.

On the third day I went out and bought a longer suit and put suncream on underneath. I relaxed a bit more as she was well covered. I took the suit off and now there is blisters on the burnt bit. I don’t know if this is from the first day and it’s jusy taken time to come out or if it’s more damage today although I don’t know how she could burn through the suit?

Everywhere else is untouched - no redness on her face or neck or legs as these are all covered so I think it’s just the initial burn on the first day. I feel so awful, thankfully she’s had no other symptoms other than pain as I know it can cause vomiting and chills.

My other child is very tanned naturally with brown eyes like his dad. My daughter is like me and very pale but I have had the same suncream on and there’s absolutely no redness on me either so I can’t really understand why she’s burnt so badly.

It’s difficult to stay in the shade really as we are on a resort and not much to do except in the pool. I might take her to the beach tomorrow and build sandcastles under an umbrella.

I’m devastated for her and feeling incredibly guilty especially reading these skin cancer stories.

I grew up in Australia. Regular sun burns as a child. I’m fine. Also, as a side note, I find the sun in Britain much worse (obviously it’s not so bad because it’s not sunny as often here) I burn far more quickly here and the burn is worse than for the same length of exposure.

@flamed12 you did the best you could. The blistering is probably from the first day. Just keep her covered and out of the sun during the hottest part of the day. We usually have a long lunch in the shade at that time.

I find p20 brand is brilliant for sunscreen. I use factor 30 on my ds, it's upto 10 hours protection but I always top up for the afternoon.
I cover ds in it whilst he's naked, then go over him again, wait 15 minutes before dressing him then I top up the uncovered bits for the afternoon. It also seems to be one of the only brands he's not allergic to.

@mintcucumber slip, slop, slap!

YABU to say 'incredibly dangerous' although we all know there are risks

BUT I think people have reached peak health warning tbh. We are meant to live joyless lives eating only vegetables and drinking water. It has just got too much.

I like to sit in the sun or go on a sun holiday, it does wonders for my mental health. I don't smoke or drink - I'm aware sunbathing is a risk but I also know a lot of older people who love to sit in the sun and are fine.

Not to say skin cancer isn't terrible because it really is. But I hate that we have to blame every ailment on people and make people feel that they should have done life better ie wearing factor 50 for their entire lives. All it achieves is misery imo.

I love the sun, it's my one real weakness. I don't burn though and do put a bit of lotion on my face, neck and shoulders.

It doesn't necessarily equate though. My mum had a melanoma removed at the age of 65. She has never been abroad, always lived in coastal northern England, always worn suncream during summer and avoided the sun where possible. I've never seen her sunburned and she was always very merticulous at ensuring we wore a high factor suncream as kids.

Pale skinned here and have pretty much always worn sunblock when I'm outside in the summer (especially when doing sports) but I've actually cut back on applying sunblock everyday (apart from my face) unless I'm actually going to be outside for an extended period of time. I do however cover up with light clothing and try and keep in the shade as much as possible in the middle of the day - to the extent that I will cross the road to walk in the shade! We rarely leave the UK (though I did catch the sun on my shoulders in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland a few years ago - the air temperature was pretty chilly and they make you shower before you get in - it was July however so I should have known better).

This is an interesting study on melanoma incidence in the USA:
jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/2593033

I also read something somewhere else the other day suggesting people who work outdoors have a normal population level of this worst type of skin cancer i.e. it doesn't appear to be purely sun exposure driving the rate of increase. I do wonder if there's a link to immune system issues (a well functioning immune system will kill off cancers before they can take hold properly) and modern living habits (activity levels, diet, etc).

Life is about balance, surely. A bit of sun to help with vitamin D, mood etc but not going crazy and getting burnt and using suncream sensibly.

OP I am concerned about the level of anxiety you have over this and the language you used e.g. "incredibly dangerous" and "genuinely scary" when seeing someone with sunburn doesn't seem a very healthy reaction. There is a lot going on in the world at the moment to be concerned about but being so affected by seeing people going on holiday and getting sunburnt makes me wonder what is really going on in your life. The is meant kindly and not sneery as I have anxiety myself.

I had that attitude and used to brag about being fine. It catches up with you as you age and your skin has had enough. Having sat in the waiting room and seen the numbers in there and what the NHS are dealing with.it’s shocking. Dh and I both grew up in the 70s and are in our 50s, both of us had a diagnosis this year.

I don’t think the op is being melodramatic and I think this thread highlights the ignorance and blasé attitude around this form of cancer. I wish I’d had more warnings and info when younger.

Better education yes, and also perhaps something that is not too preachy about the other dangers of holidaying in a sunshine resort- judging by some of the threads on here, excessive drinking, increased chance of relationship ending, for example.

I live in Australia and most people here are very aware of the dangers of sun exposure. If I ever see a really tanned person it’s almost always a European tourist. That level of tanning is so unusual amongst Australians of European descent that it really stands out.

I’ve seen a few comments along the lines of “my mother got skin cancer and she’d never been abroad”. Some people get lung cancer despite never having smoked. That does not reduce smoking as a risk factor in lung cancer. Ditto excessive sun exposure and skin cancer.

@SerenDippitty

Having said that, similarly white people may react differently. I tend to go red first. Others with similar skin don't.

It really isn’t advisable to go red at all. Red = burnt.

Seriously? Please tell me more about it.
The fact is that sometimes it does happen by accident.
I last got a bit red at the end of March for not that much sun when I was not expecting it.

Knowing I go red first doesn't mean I regularly sunburn or think it's desirable. Than you.
It actually means I'm more careful than most people and tend to put on sun screen when most of my compatriots don't even notice the sun is shinning.

@flamed12

Some sun screens got recently tested here that didn't offer the protection they advertised!

Even with factor 50 you have to reapply regularly if the child is often in the water.
And yes, the blisters are from the first burn, probably.

You'll have to be extra careful with the burnt parts, though.

@Lweji

I think I misunderstood your post. I thought you meant you let your skin go red as a precursor to tanning. You clearly didn’t, apologies.

I have seen people come back from holiday lobster coloured and being told they look great. Which I just don’t get.

I'm fair skinned and have worn SPF30 till I found an SPF50 my skin was ok with (Cien). I live near the beach in S Wales and I love going abroad. I never sunbathe (so boring) but spend hours in the sea wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses and SPF50. Only emerging for lunch and a coffee break in the shade. I have never burnt.
Most people go to the Med etc to enjoy the weather and the warm sea, not to lie baking in the sun.

I’m going away in Sept but I’ve just been googling Factor 100 sunscreen so don’t think this applies to me 🤣

Not sure what I'm supposed to do, for all the people advising to 'get some sun'.

I have been known to burn, in the UK, at 4pm in March, when it's a bit sunny and I've been out for 15 mins half in the shade (I had an odd burn patch where a bit of me wasn't in the shade!). I also have been very vit D deficient. I've done an outdoor job, they laugh at me for my factor 50 use, I reapply every 2 hours at least as there's no shade to hide under. And I wear a very non-regulation hat

Not a fan of the sun. I am also pretty much reflective in my whiteness. I do hate the stickiness of suncream though.

I love my sun holidays too and spend most of it in the shade smothered in factor 30-50. We go in at the hottest time of day and ds is well covered in a swim vest and his shorts with lashings of suncream on. None of us have ever burned and I am very fair. You can do it safely, and it is up to the individual to take care of themselves. No amount of warnings on sun loungers is going to make any difference.

Consultants/doctors should be confused about vitamin D levels. The NICE guidelines are clear on dosage for everyone to follow dependent on blood results.

Posters saying life is about balance have it bang on.

My family have had a holiday home abroad since I was a kid and we’ve had a week or two out there every year. I inherited my mums fair skin and my siblings my dads darker skin, but we would only go down to the pool or beach early morning and after 4pm when it was cooler, with an umbrella for shade etc etc.

The hottest part of the day would be spent at an attraction, or having a long lunch inside/napping, doing crafts etc.

Now I’m an adult I still go once or twice a year with my DH and still have the mentality of spending the hot part of the day out of the sun but I do enjoy the balmy summer afternoons by the swimming pool.

At the end of the day lots of things are dangerous, or dangerous in excess, but we do them because otherwise we would all be sat in padded rooms, never eating pizza or driving a car because we might die.

I’d rather live my life doing a few naughty things I enjoy frankly!

In the 90s I went to Australia for a long stay, they were so much more educated there about the sun (we were brought up using factor 4) and we started using high factor sunscreen. Never looked back. It's probably our climate that means our kids don't have it drummed into them.

Oh and hats too, a South African friend was always making sure her kids had hats on in the sun, it rubbed off on me thankfully.